Ditcher

Abstract

In a ditcher having a digging wheel which is mounted from a suspension frame carried by a crawler tractor, means are provided for tilting the wheel frame relative to the main frame of the tractor so that the wheel may be held vertical, even when the machine is operating on a side hill. Hydraulic cylinder means are also provided to exert a downward force on the wheel frame to press the wheel into hard ground and hold it in the lowered position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a crawler tractor having a main frame and a pair of track frames attached thereto on which the tractor's track assemblies are mounted, the improvement comprising:   spaced first and second transverse beams attached to the main frame,   means attached to each track frame for slidingly receiving the beams whereby the main frame and track frames are interconnected and the track frames can be moved together or apart;   a pair of spaced hydraulic cylinders pivotally connecting each track frame and the main frame, either directly or through the transverse beams, one such cylinder being connected to the track frame below the tracks frame's centre line, the other such cylinder being connected to the track frame about the track frame's centre line; and   means for independently actuating the cylinders of each pair, whereby forces may be applied to each track frame above and below its longitudinal centre line in alternating sequence to move the track away from or toward the longitudinal centreline of the main frame.